Objective:
Develop processed foods that prevent insulin resistance, obesity related and chronic diseases, and assess their effectiveness in animal models. Process and/or genetically enhance grains, legumes and fruits, and their under-valued co-products to increase the concentration or bioactivity of dietary fiber, antioxidants or other components that prevent obesity and related chronic diseases.

Approach:
The insulin resistance will be induced in the Syrian hamster model. Soluble fiber and unsaturated fats prevent insulin resistance in this model. The physical properties of fiber, the physiological, digestion and metabolic analysis of other nutrition components will be determined. Antioxidant components of plant foods will be incorporated into processed foods and their ability to suppress markers of chronic diseases will be evaluated in animal models and human subjects. Similar characteristics will be evaluated by human panels. Formerly 5325-41440-004-00D, 5325-41440-003-00D and 5325-21430-009-00D (6/09).